The relative contributions of colour and luminance signals towards the visuomotor localisation of targets in human peripheral vision

We sought to determine the extent to which colour (and luminance) signals contribute towards the visuomotor localization of targets. To do so we exploited the movement-related illusory displacement a small stationary window undergoes when it has a continuously moving carrier grating behind it. We used drifting (1.0-4.2 Hz) red/green-modulated isoluminant gratings or yellow/black luminance-modulated gratings as carriers, each curtailed in space by a stationary, two-dimensional window. After each trial, the perceived location of the window was recorded with reference to an on-screen ruler (perceptual task) or the on-screen touch of a ballistic pointing movement made without visual feedback (visuomotor task). Our results showed that the perceptual displacement measures were similar for each stimulus type and weakly dependent on stimulus drift rate. However, while the visuomotor displacement measures were similar for each stimulus type at low drift rates (<4 Hz), they were significantly larger for luminance than colour stimuli at high drift rates (>4 Hz). We show that the latter cannot be attributed to differences in perceived speed between stimulus types. We assume, therefore, that our visuomotor localization judgements were more susceptible to the (carrier) motion of luminance patterns than colour patterns. We suggest that, far from being detrimental, this susceptibility may indicate the operation of mechanisms designed to counter the temporal asynchrony between perceptual experiences and the physical changes in the environment that give rise to them. We propose that perceptual localisation is equally supported by both colour and luminance signals but that visuomotor localisation is predominantly supported by luminance signals. We discuss the neural pathways that may be involved with visuomotor localization. © 2007 Springer-Verlag.

Discriminating depth in corrugated stereo surfaces: facilitation by a pedestal is explained by removal of uncertainty

With luminance gratings, psychophysical thresholds for detecting a small increase in the contrast of a weak ‘pedestal’ grating are 2–3 times lower than for detection of a grating when the pedestal is absent. This is the ‘dipper effect’ – a reliable improvement whose interpretation remains controversial. Analogies between luminance and depth (disparity) processing have attracted interest in the existence of a ‘disparity dipper’. Are thresholds for disparity modulation (corrugated surfaces), facilitated by the presence of a weak disparity-modulated pedestal? We used a 14-bit greyscale to render small disparities accurately, and measured 2AFC discrimination thresholds for disparity modulation (0.3 or 0.6 c/deg) of a random texture at various pedestal levels. In the first experiment, a clear dipper was found. Thresholds were about 2× lower with weak pedestals than without. But here the phase of modulation (0 or 180 deg) was varied from trial to trial. In a noisy signal-detection framework, this creates uncertainty that is reduced by the pedestal, which thus improves performance. When the uncertainty was eliminated by keeping phase constant within sessions, the dipper effect was weak or absent. Monte Carlo simulations showed that the influence of uncertainty could account well for the results of both experiments. A corollary is that the visual depth response to small disparities is probably linear, with no threshold-like nonlinearity.

Discriminating depth in stereo surfaces: dipper effect found, and lost

Measurement of detection and discrimination thresholds yields information about visual signal processing. For luminance contrast, we are 2 - 3 times more sensitive to a small increase in the contrast of a weak 'pedestal' grating, than when the pedestal is absent. This is the 'dipper effect' - a reliable improvement whose interpretation remains controversial. Analogies between luminance and depth (disparity) processing have attracted interest in the existence of a 'disparity dipper' - are thresholds for disparity, or disparity modulation (corrugated surfaces), facilitated by the presence of a weak pedestal? Lunn and Morgan (1997 Journal of the Optical Society of America A 14 360 - 371) found no dipper for disparity-modulated gratings, but technical limitations (8-bit greyscale) might have prevented the necessary measurement of very small disparity thresholds. We used a true 14-bit greyscale to render small disparities accurately, and measured 2AFC discrimination thresholds for disparity modulation (0.6 cycle deg-1) of a random texture at various pedestal levels. Which interval contained greater modulation of depth? In the first experiment, a clear dipper was found. Thresholds were about 2X1 lower with weak pedestals than without. But here the phase of modulation (0° or 180°) was randomised from trial to trial. In a noisy signal-detection framework, this creates uncertainty that is reduced by the pedestal, thus improving performance. When the uncertainty was eliminated by keeping phase constant within sessions, the dipper effect disappeared, confirming Lunn and Morgan's result. The absence of a dipper, coupled with shallow psychometric slopes, suggests that the visual response to small disparities is essentially linear, with no threshold-like nonlinearity.

Binocular combination at threshold: temporal filtering and summation of signals in separate ON and OFF channels

How does the brain combine spatio-temporal signals from the two eyes? We quantified binocular summation as the improvement in 2AFC contrast sensitivity for flickering gratings seen by two eyes compared with one. Binocular gratings in-phase showed sensitivity up to 1.8 times higher, suggesting nearly linear summation of contrasts. The binocular advantage decreased to 1.4 at lower spatial and higher temporal frequencies (0.25 cycle deg-1, 30 Hz). Dichoptic, antiphase gratings showed only a small binocular advantage, by a factor of 1.1 to 1.2, but no evidence of cancellation. We present a signal-processing model to account for the contrast-sensitivity functions and the pattern of binocular summation. It has linear sustained and transient temporal filters, nonlinear transduction, and half-wave rectification that creates ON and OFF channels. Binocular summation occurs separately within ON and OFF channels, thus explaining the phase-specific binocular advantage. The model also accounts for earlier findings on detection of brief antiphase flashes and the surprising finding that dichoptic antiphase flicker is seen as frequency-doubled (Cavonius et al, 1992 Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics 12 153 - 156). [Supported by EPSRC project GR/S74515/01].

Humans assume a mixture of diffuse and point-source lighting when viewing sinusoidal shading patterns

Observers perceive sinusoidal shading patterns as being due to sinusoidally corrugated surfaces, and perceive surface peaks to be offset from luminance maxima by between zero and 1/4 wavelength. This offset varies with grating orientation. Physically, the shading profile of a sinusoidal surface will be approximately sinusoidal, with the same spatial frequency as the surface, only when: (A) it is lit suitably obliquely by a point source, or (B) the light source is diffuse and hemispherical--the 'dark is deep' rule applies. For A, surface peaks will be offset by 1/4 wavelength from the luminance maxima; for B, this offset will be zero. As the sum of two same-frequency sinusoids with different phases is a sinusoid of intermediate phase, our results suggest that observers assume a mixture of two light sources whose relative strength varies with grating orientation. The perceived surface offsets imply that gratings close to horizontal are taken to be lit by a point source; those close to vertical by a diffuse source. [Supported by EPSRC grants to AJS and MAG].

Binocular summation at contrast threshold:a new look

Contrast sensitivity is better with two eyes than one. The standard view is that thresholds are about 1.4 (v2) times better with two eyes, and that this arises from monocular responses that, near threshold, are proportional to the square of contrast, followed by binocular summation of the two monocular signals. However, estimates of the threshold ratio in the literature vary from about 1.2 to 1.9, and many early studies had methodological weaknesses. We collected extensive new data, and applied a general model of binocular summation to interpret the threshold ratio. We used horizontal gratings (0.25 - 4 cycles deg-1) flickering sinusoidally (1 - 16 Hz), presented to one or both eyes through frame-alternating ferroelectric goggles with negligible cross-talk, and used a 2AFC staircase method to estimate contrast thresholds and psychometric slopes. Four naive observers completed 20 000 trials each, and their mean threshold ratios were 1.63, 1.69, 1.71, 1.81 - grand mean 1.71 - well above the classical v2. Mean ratios tended to be slightly lower (~1.60) at low spatial or high temporal frequencies. We modelled contrast detection very simply by assuming a single binocular mechanism whose response is proportional to (Lm + Rm) p, followed by fixed additive noise, where L,R are contrasts in the left and right eyes, and m, p are constants. Contrast-gain-control effects were assumed to be negligible near threshold. On this model the threshold ratio is 2(?1/m), implying that m=1.3 on average, while the Weibull psychometric slope (median 3.28) equals 1.247mp, yielding p=2.0. Together, the model and data suggest that, at low contrasts across a wide spatiotemporal frequency range, monocular pathways are nearly linear in their contrast response (m close to 1), while a strongly accelerating nonlinearity (p=2, a 'soft threshold') occurs after binocular summation. [Supported by EPSRC project grant GR/S74515/01]

Fixed or variable noise in contrast discrimination? The jury's still out

The ability to distinguish one visual stimulus from another slightly different one depends on the variability of their internal representations. In a recent paper on human visual-contrast discrimination, Kontsevich et al (2002 Vision Research 42 1771 - 1784) re-considered the long-standing question whether the internal noise that limits discrimination is fixed (contrast-invariant) or variable (contrast-dependent). They tested discrimination performance for 3 cycles deg-1 gratings over a wide range of incremental contrast levels at three masking contrasts, and showed that a simple model with an expansive response function and response-dependent noise could fit the data very well. Their conclusion - that noise in visual-discrimination tasks increases markedly with contrast - has profound implications for our understanding and modelling of vision. Here, however, we re-analyse their data, and report that a standard gain-control model with a compressive response function and fixed additive noise can also fit the data remarkably well. Thus these experimental data do not allow us to decide between the two models. The question remains open. [Supported by EPSRC grant GR/S74515/01]

Shading and texture:Separate information channels with a common adaptation mechanism?

We outline a scheme for the way in which early vision may handle information about shading (luminance modulation, LM) and texture (contrast modulation, CM). Previous work on the detection of gratings has found no sub-threshold summation, and no cross-adaptation, between LM and CM patterns. This strongly implied separate channels for the detection of LM and CM structure. However, we now report experiments in which adapting to LM (or CM) gratings creates tilt aftereffects of similar magnitude on both LM and CM test gratings, and reduces the perceived strength (modulation depth) of LM and CM gratings to a similar extent. This transfer of aftereffects between LM and CM might suggest a second stage of processing at which LM and CM information is integrated. The nature of this integration, however, is unclear and several simple predictions are not fulfilled. Firstly, one might expect the integration stage to lose identity information about whether the pattern was LM or CM. We show instead that the identity of barely detectable LM and CM patterns is not lost. Secondly, when LM and CM gratings are combined in-phase or out-of-phase we find no evidence for cancellation, nor for 'phase-blindness'. These results suggest that information about LM and CM is not pooled or merged - shading is not confused with texture variation. We suggest that LM and CM signals are carried by separate channels, but they share a common adaptation mechanism that accounts for the almost complete transfer of perceptual aftereffects.

Template model for blur coding: the role of early nonlinearity in edge segmentation

We describe a template model for perception of edge blur and identify a crucial early nonlinearity in this process. The main principle is to spatially filter the edge image to produce a 'signature', and then find which of a set of templates best fits that signature. Psychophysical blur-matching data strongly support the use of a second-derivative signature, coupled to Gaussian first-derivative templates. The spatial scale of the best-fitting template signals the edge blur. This model predicts blur-matching data accurately for a wide variety of Gaussian and non-Gaussian edges, but it suffers a bias when edges of opposite sign come close together in sine-wave gratings and other periodic images. This anomaly suggests a second general principle: the region of an image that 'belongs' to a given edge should have a consistent sign or direction of luminance gradient. Segmentation of the gradient profile into regions of common sign is achieved by implementing the second-derivative 'signature' operator as two first-derivative operators separated by a half-wave rectifier. This multiscale system of nonlinear filters predicts perceived blur accurately for periodic and aperiodic waveforms. We also outline its extension to 2-D images and infer the 2-D shape of the receptive fields.

Seeing blur:'Motion sharpening' without motion

It is widely supposed that things tend to look blurred when they are moving fast. Previous work has shown that this is true for sharp edges but, paradoxically, blurred edges look sharper when they are moving than when stationary. This is 'motion sharpening'. We show that blurred edges also look up to 50% sharper when they are presented briefly (8-24 ms) than at longer durations (100-500 ms) without motion. This argues strongly against high-level models of sharpening based specifically on compensation for motion blur. It also argues against a recent, low-level, linear filter model that requires motion to produce sharpening. No linear filter model can explain our finding that sharpening was similar for sinusoidal and non-sinusoidal gratings, since linear filters can never distort sine waves. We also conclude that the idea of a 'default' assumption of sharpness is not supported by experimental evidence. A possible source of sharpening is a nonlinearity in the contrast response of early visual mechanisms to fast or transient temporal changes, perhaps based on the magnocellular (M-cell) pathway. Our finding that sharpening is not diminished at low contrast sets strong constraints on the nature of the nonlinearity.

Advanced UV inscribed fibre grating structures and applications in optical sensing and laser systems

This thesis presents detailed investigation of UV inscribed fibre grating based devices and novel developments in the applications of such devices in optical sensing and fibre laser systems. The major contribution of this PhD programme includes the systematic study on fabrication, spectral characteristics and applications of different types of UV written in-fibre gratings such as Type I and IA Fibre Bragg Gratings (FBGs), Chirped Fibre Bragg Gratings (CFBGs) and Tilted Fibre Gratings (TFGs) with small, large and 45º tilted structures inscribed in normal silica fibre. Three fabrication techniques including holographic, phase-mask and blank beam exposure scanning, which were employed to fabricate a range of gratings in standard single mode fibre, are fully discussed. The thesis reports the creation of smart structures with self-sensing capability by embedding FBG-array sensors in Al matrix composite. In another part of this study, we have demonstrated the particular significant improvements made in sensitising standard FBGs to the chemical surrounding medium by inducing microstructure to the grating by femtosecond (fs) patterning assisted chemical etching technique. Also, a major work is presented for the investigation on the structures, inscription methods and spectral Polarisation Dependent Loss (PDL) and thermal characteristics of different angle TFGs. Finally, a very novel application in realising stable single polarisation and multiwavelength switchable Erbium Doped Fibre Lasers (EDFLs) using intracavity polarisation selective filters based on TFG devices with tilted structures at small, large and exact 45° angles forms another important contribution of this thesis.

Contrast masking in strabismic amblyopia: attenuation, noise, interocular suppression and binocular summation

To investigate amblyopic contrast vision at threshold and above we performed pedestal-masking (contrastdiscrimination) experiments with a group of eight strabismic amblyopes using horizontal sinusoidal gratings (mainly 3 c/deg) in monocular, binocular and dichoptic configurations balanced across eye (i.e. five conditions). With some exceptions in some observers, the four main results were as follows. (1) For the monocular and dichoptic conditions, sensitivity was less in the amblyopic eye than in the good eye at all mask contrasts. (2) Binocular and monocular dipper functions superimposed in the good eye. (3) Monocular masking functions had a normal dipper shape in the good eye, but facilitation was diminished in the amblyopic eye. (4) A less consistent result was normal facilitation in dichoptic masking when testing the good eye, but a loss of this when testing the amblyopic eye. This pattern of amblyopic results was replicated in a normal observer by placing a neutral density filter in front of one eye. The two-stage model of binocular contrast gain control [Meese, T.S., Georgeson, M.A. & Baker, D.H. (2006). Binocular contrast vision at and above threshold. Journal of Vision 6, 1224--1243.] was `lesioned' in several ways to assess the form of the amblyopic deficit. The most successful model involves attenuation of signal and an increase in noise in the amblyopic eye, and intact stages of interocular suppression and binocular summation. This implies a behavioural influence from monocular noise in the amblyopic visual system as well as in normal observers with an ND filter over one eye.

Binocular contrast interactions:Dichoptic masking is not a single process

To decouple interocular suppression and binocular summation we varied the relative phase of mask and target in a 2IFC contrast-masking paradigm. In Experiment I, dichoptic mask gratings had the same orientation and spatial frequency as the target. For in-phase masking, suppression was strong (a log-log slope of ∼1) and there was weak facilitation at low mask contrasts. Anti-phase masking was weaker (a log-log slope of ∼0.7) and there was no facilitation. A two-stage model of contrast gain control [Meese, T.S., Georgeson, M.A. and Baker, D.H. (2006). Binocular contrast vision at and above threshold. Journal of Vision, 6: 1224-1243] provided a good fit to the in-phase results and fixed its free parameters. It made successful predictions (with no free parameters) for the anti-phase results when (A) interocular suppression was phase-indifferent but (B) binocular summation was phase sensitive. Experiments II and III showed that interocular suppression comprised two components: (i) a tuned effect with an orientation bandwidth of ∼±33° and a spatial frequency bandwidth of >3 octaves, and (ii) an untuned effect that elevated threshold by a factor of between 2 and 4. Operationally, binocular summation was more tightly tuned, having an orientation bandwidth of ∼±8°, and a spatial frequency bandwidth of ∼0.5 octaves. Our results replicate the unusual shapes of the in-phase dichoptic tuning functions reported by Legge [Legge, G.E. (1979). Spatial frequency masking in human vision: Binocular interactions. Journal of the Optical Society of America, 69: 838-847]. These can now be seen as the envelope of the direct effects from interocular suppression and the indirect effect from binocular summation, which contaminates the signal channel with a mask that has been suppressed by the target. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The interrogation and multiplexing of long period grating curvature sensors using a Bragg grating based, derivative spectroscopy technique

A long period grating is interrogated with a fibre Bragg grating using a derivative spectroscopy technique. A quasi-linear relationship between the output of the sensing scheme and the curvature experienced by the long period grating is demonstrated, with a sensitivity of 5.05 m and with an average curvature resolution of 2.9 × 10-2 m-1. In addition, the feasibility of multiplexing an in-line series of long period gratings with this interrogation scheme is demonstrated with two pairs of fibre Bragg gratings and long period gratings. With this arrangement the cross-talk error between channels was less than ± 2.4 × 10-3 m-1.